Myanmar Military Airstrike on Monastery Kills at Least 12 During Buddhist Sabbath

At least 12 people, including Buddhist monks, were killed and nearly 20 others severely injured when a Myanmar military fighter jet bombed a monastery in Sagaing Region during a religious gathering on August 21.

The airstrike struck Swe Le Oh village in Myaung Township at approximately 9:30 a.m. as residents were gathered inside the monastery’s chapel to observe Buddhist precepts and attend an annual meditation retreat.

A fighter jet deployed from the Tada-U Airbase in neighboring Mandalay Region dropped at least four bombs on the compound.

The attack directly hit the main prayer hall, killing the abbot, several monks, and civilian worshippers.

“The chapel was hit directly. Because it was a religious observance day and the meditation session was underway, the hall was packed,” a witness told Network Media Group (NMG). “The abbot was killed, and his body is still trapped under the rubble. Emergency rescue efforts are ongoing.”

The monastery’s annual meditation session had just begun on August 19.

“This annual religious event was deliberately targeted. The bombs hit the chapel directly, leaving no time to evacuate,” a source close to local resistance forces told NMG, adding that five nearby homes were also destroyed. “Some of the injured are in critical condition, so the death toll could still rise.”

Myaung Township is a stronghold for anti-regime resistance forces where the military junta exerts little ground control.

Despite an absence of active ground clashes in the immediate area, the military continues to rely heavily on aerial bombardments.

The attack follows a recent pattern of deadly air raids in the township.

On August 19, regime fighter jets bombed Hlaytinu village, killing two civilians—including a volunteer teacher—and injuring 16 others.

Earlier this year, military airstrikes on the nearby villages of Nabet and Thaunggyi killed nine civilians, including an infant, and incinerated approximately 30 homes.